Lock for the adjustable back-frames of account-books



No. 751,646. PATENTED FEB. 9; 1904;

A. D. HULQUIS T. LOOK FOR THE ADJUSTABLE BACK FRAMES OF ACCOUNT BOOKS.

APPLIOATiON FILED MAY 28, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

Patented February 9, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRE'W D. HULQUIST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO J. S. MODONALD,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOOK FOR THE ADJUSTABLE BACK-FRAMES OF ACCOUNT-BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,646, dated February9, 1904.

Application filed M 28, 1903.

To all whmn, it new concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW D. HUL UIsT, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for theAdjustable Back-Frames of Account-Books, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and effectivelock for the backframes particularly of large books between the coversof which it is desired to removably retain sheets of matter which it maybe desirable occasionally to use independently therefrom. This Iaccomplish by the means hereinafter fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the covers of a bookhaving my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, ona larger scale, of the backframes of a book with the forward portion ofthe covers broken away intersecting one of my improved locks and showingthe position of its operative parts when the covers are locked therebyagainst further separation. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the bookturned upside down and the relative position of said parts when thecovers are unlocked and capable of being separated to the extreme. Fig.4 is a horizontal section through said lock, taken on dotted line 4 I,Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 5 is avertical section through the back-frames of the book intersecting thetelescopic tubular posts within which is the expansion-spring forkeeping said back-frames apart.

In the drawings, A A represent the upper and lower covers of anaccount-book or invoice-book, or a book of similar character in which itis desired to removably retain records of any kind in sheet form. Thesecovers are preferably connected by a flexible joint to theclamping-plates B B, respectively, of the backframe, which consist ofmetal strips of a length corresponding to the width of the book and ofsuitable width. Secured to the lower Serial No. 159,110. (No model.)

clamping-plate B is a bolt C, which is secured in said plate by means ofa short screw-threaded extension c, which is tapped through said frameand has its end extended through a suitable nut 5, seated in thecountersunk outer edges of the hole in which said extension enters. Theremainder of the bolt C is greater in diameter than the extension (0,and the portion thereof immediately next said extension is preferablyperfectly cylindrical for a short distance, and the remainder of itslength between said cylindrical portion and its enlarged opposite end 0is screw-threaded or corrugated, substantially as shown. Thus when theextension of the bolt is screwed into the frame Bas far as it will gothe plate B is clampedbetween the shoulder made by increasing itsdiameter and the nut b and securely and rigidly held in the relativeposition shown in the drawings. This bolt C extends from the back-frameB up through a central opening in the unsecured. end of a rectangularcase D. This case consists, preferably, of a rectangular shell of sheetmetal, the upper portion of which is filled between its sides byfiller-blocks c e and the lower'by filler-blocks f f, all of metal andso constructed as to leave a longitudinal central opening extendingthrough said case, into which the bolt C extends, as hereinbeforeexplained. The diameter of the mouth of the central opening of theunsecured end of the case is restricted in transverse dimensions toprovide shoulders g 9, against which the enlarged end 0 of the boltcomes in contact to prevent further separation of the covers When thebolt is released, substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thefaces of the contiguous ends of the filler-blocks e and f within thecase D are oblique at an angle of about forty-five degrees (45 to theaxis of the bolt, and the spaces so left between these ends form runwaysor guideways E E, that incline down from the outer shell of the casefrom opposite sides thereof toward the free end of the same and inplanes that meet at the axis of the bolt. Placed in these guideways E Eare rhombohedron or other suitablyshaped blocks F of such dimensions asto have a slight reciprocal movement in said guideways to and from thebolt C. The edges of each of these blocks coming in contact with theside of the bolt are provided with an inverse screw-thread or withcorrugations it, which engage and interlock with the sides of the boltwhen the case is in such position that said blocks will gravitate towardthe bolt, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The case D is secured tothe clamping-plate B opposite the plate B, to which the bolt is secured,by means of the screws it it, and thus when the blocks f engage the bolt0, as shown in Fig. 2, the further separation of the clampingplates andthe covers connected therewith is prevented. By reversing the positionof the covers, as by turning the book upside down, so as to bring theframe to which the bolt is secured uppermost and the frame to which thecase D is secured undermost, the blocks F will gravitate in theguideways E away from the axis of the bolt and toward the shell of thecase, and thus leave the bolt free, so that the covers can be separated,substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It is desirable for the plates B B to have a normal tendency to separatefrom each other. This I accomplish by means of a post comprisingtelescoping tubes 2 and 3, located one near each end of the frame B, oneend of one of said posts being secured to one of said clamping-platesand the other of said tubes having its opposite end secured to the otherof said clamping-plates and adapted to telescope into the former.expansion-spring 4 is housed within these tubes, and the ends thereofbear against the blocks 5 in the secured ends of said tubes andconstantly resist the effort to compress said back-frames together. Theconsequence of the introduction of these posts is to keep theclamping-plates of the covers locked in any position in which it may benecessary to adjust them whether the book is resting on one side or theother; but when it is desired to separate the covers all it is necessaryto do is to place the book so that the bolt and the case D will be inthe relative position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings and then slightlypress the clamping-plates toward each other, and thus release and permitthe blocks F to gravitate away from and release the bolt C.

WVhat I claim as new is 1. In a book the combination withclamping-plates, of a bolt secured to and projecting from one of saidplates toward the other; and a suitable case secured to andprojectingfrom the opposite plate into which said bolt extends; and twogravity-operated devices within said case separately interlocking withsaid bolt.

2. In a book the combination with clamping-plates, of a bolt secured toand projecting from one of said plates toward the other; and a suitablecase secured to and projecting from the opposite plate into which saidbolt extends;

A sufficiently strong and two gravity-operated devices within said casesimultaneously engaging and separately interlocking with said bolt.

3. In a book the combination with clamping-plates, of a bolt secured toand projecting from one of said plates toward the other; and a suitablecase secured to and projecting from the opposite plate into which saidbolt extends; and two gravity-operated devices within said casesimultaneously engaging andseparately interlocking with said bolt atpoints diametrically opposite each other.

4. In a book the combination with clamping-plates, of a corrugated boltsecured to and projecting from one of said plates toward the other; asuitable case having a central longitudinal-opening therein, into whichsaid bolt extends and guideways oblique to said central opening; and twogravity-operated devices that have corrugated engaging edges and locatedwithin said .case and separately engaging and interlocking with saidbolt.

' 5. In a book the combination with clamping-plates, of a corrugatedbolt secured to and projecting from one of said plates toward the otherand having its unsecured end enlarged; a suitable case having a centrallongitudinal opening the mouth in the unsecured end of which throughwhich the bolt passes into said case being restricted; and havingguideways oblique to said central opening; and gravityoperated blocks insaid guideways having corrugated engaging edges and separately engagingsaid bolt.

6. In a book, the combination with clamping-plates, one of which has ascrew-threaded opening therein the outer end of which is countersunk; ofa bolt having a short screwthreaded extension of reduced diameter at oneend engaging said opening; a nut in said countersunk portion; a casesecured to the opposite plate into the unsecured end of which said boltextends longitudinally; and two gravityoperated blocks engaging saidbolt at points diametrically opposite each other.

7 In a book the combination with clamping-plates, one ofwhich. has ascrew-threaded opening therein the outer end of which is countersunk; ofa bolt having a short screwthreaded extension of reduced diameter at oneend engaging said opening and its opposite end enlarged; a nut seated insaid countersink; a suitable case secured to the opposite plate having acentral longitudinal opening the mouth in the unsecured end of whichthrough which the bolt passes into the case being restricted; and twogravity-operated blocks engaging said bolt at points diametricallyopposite each 4 other.

8. In a book the combination with clamping-plates,one of which has ascrew-threaded opening therein the outer end of which is countersunk; ofa bolt having a short screwthreaded extension of reduced diameter at oneend engaging said opening and its opposite end enlarged; a nut seated insaid countersink; a blocks in said guideways as and for the purcasesecured to the opposite plate having a poses set forth.

longitudinal central opening therein the month In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my in the unsecured end of which through Which handthis 20th day of April, 1903. the bolt passes into the case beingrestricted; ANDREXV D. HULQUIST.

and having oppositely-located oblique guide- W'itnesses: Ways thereincommunicating With said central FRANK D. THOMASON, longitudinal opening;and gravity-operated E. K. LUNDY.

